French cruise ship operator Ponant...

The line’s new arctic adventure will launch next spring

Ponant has announced a new excursion that will soon be available on a selection of journeys on board Le Commandant Charcot. The new expedition explores the northeast coast of Greenland.

Tested by Ponant’s team last spring, while still frozen over, the selected participants set off on a three-day, two night Polar Raid expedition led by Nicolas Dubreuil, operations director at SEDNA and Polar expedition expert, as well as Greenlandic guide and ice expert Ole Eliassen.

The try-out team, made up of nine members, included professional mountain guides, a doctor and staff from Ponant’s R&D department. Scouting for this new polar experience, the group left the luxury icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, behind to cross the expanse of sea ice and trek into the snowy mountains of Ittoqqortoormiit to camp for two nights in the arctic nature of East Greenland.

Moving around on skis, each team member had to pull their own sled (pulk), carrying enough materials and food supplies for themselves. Once the camp was set up, participants took turns to keep watch for bears. This is a role that will also be entrusted to the passengers who choose to participate in the Polar Raid expedition.

Designed in line with its CSR roadmap, Blue Horizon, this new experience aims to build closer connections between Ponant’s guests, nature and local communities.

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"A voyage within a voyage, this unique excursion is informed by Inuit wisdom," say Ponant's reps.

Polar Raid Expedition bookings will be open to a limited number of guests on journeys departing in the spring of 2023 and 2024 aboard Le Commandant Charcot including two departures from 5 to 15 May 2023 and three departures from 16 April to 6 May 2024 from Reykjavik. The 11-day, 10-night itineraries cost from US$15,000.

For more information, visit www.en.ponant.com